


Through scars

by Miss_Kitten



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-06-05 23:46:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6728215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Kitten/pseuds/Miss_Kitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reader, Aragorn's long time friend, realizes she is in love with him. After destroying The Ring and recovery from the battle, she decides to leave, which forces Aragorn to a confession.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through scars

**Author's Note:**

> Based on following prompts from a drabble game I did on my writing blog:  
> "These scars tell my story. Need I say more?”   
> “But I’m not her! I never will be!”   
> “I’ve never loved someone more than you. Isn’t that tragic?”  
> “Be mine, be mine forever.”

You couldn’t deal with it anymore. With judging stares, with disgust, not so well hidden, with whispers, which you always heard, no matter how much you tried to ignore them. 

And all this only because you wanted to be brave. 

There was no hesitation in you when you heard that the Ring must be taken to Mordor. You joined the Fellowship without thinking twice, ignoring Aragorn’s protesting gaze. It was your decision, not his, and even the fact that he was your best friend couldn’t affect your choice. 

Frankly, you wanted to join to keep an eye on him – somehow you couldn’t stay long without him around. You needed him to feel peaceful, you needed him to feel bold, you needed him to feel yourself and only during your journey you realized it was because you loved him.

Unfortunately, there was no happy ending to your love story. Aragorn’s heart belonged to Arwen, but that didn’t stop you from taking the road along him and protecting him with all your might. 

That was how you gained your scars. There was one starting in the middle of your left cheek, growing thicker as it went down your neck, under your arm and on your back, where it ended. It was given to you by some furious Orc during the Battle of the Black Gate while you were protecting Eowyn’s body for Eomer to reach her.

You also had few scars on your arms and palms, not to mention legs. But you chose a warrior life willingly and you were aware of all its consequences.

You didn’t blame people for turning their eyes from your face. It wasn’t their fault to be repulsed. All you ever wanted was an understanding, nothing more. 

But you didn’t find it in Gondor. Even when you were lying in the infirmary there was only healer, who could stand your wounded body - lord Elrond, who came for Aragorn’s coronation ceremony with his daughter. You missed the ceremony as well as everything else for two months after it. 

Aragorn prepared quarters for you to stay, and at the beginning you thought it was a great idea. But the longer you stayed and tried to socialize with citizens the more you understood that there was no chance to become a part of the society. 

Not when almost everyone looked at you as if you were a monster. 

Only the guards and few people bowed their heads with respect, knowing your part it the journey and the Battle. 

Now, however, as you looked at yourself the mirror in your bathroom, you fully understood that under no circumstances would you stay there any longer. It was high time for you to leave, letting go of your stupid hope to be with Aragorn.

Your packs were ready, you only needed to collect some food and water. Not wanting to walk among the people, you ask a guard to fetch it for you, on which he gladly agreed. 

Checking your packs again, to make sure that you had everything – from spare clothes to a long rope (Sam advised you to always have a rope), you waiting for the guard to bring you the last things you needed. Then, you would be able to go whatever you want, which at that very moment was far away from people. 

Tears began to sting your eyes and your heart filled with sorrow, but you did your best to ignore it. There was no way you could stay and live here, not with those hideous scars. To be honest, you didn’t want to cover them, treating them as your victories not failures and you were never ashamed of them. 

It was people’s reaction to you that made you sad. Why a woman could not be respected for her bravery? Why only men were allowed to carry their battle scars uncovered? 

You sighed, blinking few times as you heard a knock on your door. You rushed to it, and not even looking who it was, assuming that it was the guard with your supplies, you swung it open and returned to your packs. 

“Y/N, you’re leaving?” a familiar, deep voice, hinted with disbelief made you jump and gasp, and you faced its owner. 

“I didn’t expect you here.” 

“Frankly you didn’t, why else would you want to leave without even a word?” 

“I can’t stay here, Aragorn.” You stated coldly through clenched teeth as you fought back the tears that threatened to fall. 

He was holding a small package and he approached your bed, on which you laid your packed belongings, and put the package next to them. He hung his head low, not looking at you. 

“Is it because of your… condition?” he asked in a whisper, his voice soft.  

“Partly, yes.” You crossed your arms on your chest in a defensive manner and glanced at him. “And don’t suggest covering it. I will not, not that one or any other. **These scars tell my story,** Aragorn, **need I say more?** ” 

“No, Y/N,” he raised his pain-filled eyes on you. “but, please, can’t you stay? I will ask lord Elrond to look at it once more, maybe he will find a way to make it better.” 

“Lord Elrond, you say?”

“Yes, he’s still here.” 

“I imagine you and he must discuss every detail of a wedding. That’s what kept you so busy that you had no time to visit me since I left infirmary?” 

He parted his lips, surprised by your venomous voice. You were never like that, not to him. He could barely recognize you now and that made him hurt even more. 

“Aragorn, please, leave me alone,” you ordered, turning your back on him, but you heard no move. 

“Why? Give me a reason and I will never bother you again. I must know why do you ask me to let you go,” his voice was harsh, you knew he was probably shaking with anger, while he tried to understand why you suddenly decided to depart. 

You took a deep breath, closing your eyes as you gathered all your courage to confess what you felt. You didn’t hold back tears – it didn’t matter whether you start crying now or later and, honestly, you no longer cared. 

“Because I love you, Aragorn, **I’ve never loved someone more than you.** Yet you can’t be mine. **Isn’t that tragic?** Isn’t that enough of a reason for me to go?” you murmured with a trembling voice and you hid your face in your palms as a sob shook your body. “But I am not who you want, **I’m not her and I never will be.** ” you added before your legs weakened and you collapsed on your bed, placing your elbows on your thighs. 

Aragorn, for a long while, simply stared at you, unable to make a move. He wanted to run, he wanted to beg, he wanted to scream, yet all strengths left him. You were in despair, tears streaming down your cheeks, your face hidden from his sight and he couldn’t do anything to comfort you, feeling frozen and shocked. 

He noticed few tears dropping on the fabric of your dress and that was what snapped his out of his frozen state. He stepped to your side, dropping on his knees as he reached for your hands, taking them gently from your face. 

You pushed him away, turning your face from him. 

“Y/N, please, look at me,” he pleaded and you bit your lip, trying not to whine. “Lord Elrond is not here to plan a wedding, he helped the wounded ones and wished to take care of them, so I asked him to stay. He told me you were still in pain and I didn’t visit you, but now I realize how stupid I was. And what kind of pain did he mean.” 

“Arwen is back in Rivendell, Y/N, and she will not marry me. How could she when my heart belongs to someone else?”

Aragorn lowered his head to place soft kisses on your hands, resting in your lap, and you turned your wide opened eyes, full of disbelief, at him. 

“My lady, I ask for your forgiveness. I have been a fool and I have no excuse for that. But I cannot let you leave, Y/N, I cannot let the love of my life go away just because I was too stupid to show her how precious she is to me.”

“Aragorn…” you panted with clenched throat and you felt tears pouring out of your eyes. Aragorn looked up at you, moving his hands to wipe the wetness from your cheeks and you nuzzled against his touch. 

“Stay with me and **be mine, be mine forever,** ” he whispered, almost begging you, and you cradled his face with your trembling hands, bringing his lips to yours. 

You kissed him tenderly, barely brushing your lips against his, but it was enough for Aragorn. He let out a breathy laugh as he enveloped you in his arms, whispering apologies all the while. You started to laugh, too, as you replied with forgiveness and only that made him stop talking and start peppering your face with sweet kisses instead. 

And then you felt something you had felt for a very long time, spreading from your heart to every cell in your body.

Pure and unstoppable happiness.


End file.
